Books and other things

Friday, July 29, 2022

BE

The “To be, or not to be” speech by Hamlet was not about suicide, but about being true to oneself.

And it is just as hard today as it was then.

I find myself reeling from thousands of people telling me how I should be, what I should think, what I should wear for my age, what I should eat to be healthier/happier/live longer … and my craft suffers from all the advice I see … and once I read it, I can’t UnRead it … I wish I could …

I wish I could un-remember things, un-think them, un-do the stupid mistakes (like paying for things I thought would further my career and make me happy) …

Why do I continually fall for it?

I think Hamlet went through the same thing. He was supposed to be king, after all, so he had a lot of pressure to be like his dad, or his grandfather, or other famous kings that he learned about …

But he just wanted to BE.

Hamlet only had a handful of people giving him their opinion of what he should do, who he should be. Today I have thousands, millions even … and daily I give them permission to pull me away from the plans I had already made for the day and move toward the plans they think I should have.

I need Brain Independence.

Daily I need to write down my priorities, save them, post them all over the house and ground myself and my day in them.

Daily I need to say no to media, Facebook, Instagram, Google news, articles that catch my interest (but never deliver what they promise).

I haven’t found the perfect balance of my priorities and others’ ideas. Maybe I need a media fast. Maybe I should shut out the world and focus on my responsibilities as they stand right now. Perhaps I need to build an imaginary wall that includes a gate that is locked. I unlock that gate for family and friends. I unlock that gate at specific times each day … or each week … or each month …

Maybe, even though I have been working hard to protect my own inner self, I am still a people pleaser and perhaps will always be. Knowing that, I might be able to catch myself when I feel the draw, the desire, the joy at the New Bright Shiny.

Maybe it’s still about self-discipline.

Hmmm… Your thoughts, Holmes?


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FMF Writing Prompt Link-up :: Be - Five Minute Friday







5 comments:

  1. Yes, we need to be true to ourselves - the version of ourselves that God sees in us and not the false version imposed upon us by the world around us!
    Just stopped by from FMF #12

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Amen! Thanks for visiting ... and encouraging! Blessings!

      Delete
  2. I need to be true to me,
    blow off all the digi-spam,
    but it's got really hard to see
    just exactly who I am.
    I write these poems mostly for fun,
    and sometimes to encourage, too,
    but the thoughts sometimes do run,
    "Does this stuff appeal to you?"
    I have not a writer's bent,
    nor philosopher welt-schmertz,
    and even with the best intent,
    I can't go and bare my hurts
    'cause when I take them off the shelf,
    I see them vain, laugh at myself.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. exactly ... a writer friend of mine once said in a writing group meeting, when we share our writing we are actually children saying, "Tell me I'm good." Blessings on your day!

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  3. I hear you, and can relate to so much of it.
    Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete

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